Nearing 'Disaster mode'

Clutching a bar of soap, a couple of mini shampoo bottles and two razors, 62-year-old Jimmy Ezell talked about the overcrowding that has hit The Salvation Army in the past month.

The organization normally houses 15 to 20 people a night.

But lately they have been averaging 40 to 50.

Ezell was staying in his car until his windows were broken out.

Now he’s living at the shelter.

“They got security, they got food — what they can afford,” Ezell said.

With winter just around the corner, officials at the Salvation Army’s shelter estimate the number of people staying could double to about 80.

“What has a us worried is traditionally when the weather turns cold we double our numbers,” Sgt. Jay Ward, Corps Administrator, said. “It looks like we might have to go to disaster mode and open are emergency shelter in the gym.”

If the Salvation Army were forced to go into disaster mode they wouldn’t receive any additional benefits.

They would, however, mobilize their mobile kitchen unit and serve meals off of there, in order to turn the dining area into a place to sleep.

Freddy Freeman, who’s been staying at the shelter for two months, said he’s noticed the overcrowding but can’t afford to leave.

“I get a little disability. If I rent an apartment, I wouldn’t have enough (money) to eat,” Freeman said.

WHAT THEY NEED

The shelter accepts linens, towels, toiletries, and canned goods.

But what they really need is money.

“We need cash,” Ward said.

The Salvation Army currently has insufficient funds to help cover costs.

“It’s costing us financially in several ways. One. our staff is having to work extra hours to accommodate the folks,” Ward said. “Two. There’s the increased utility bills, with more people taking showers. And, thirdly, increased linen costs. We provide linens for everybody.”

But the biggest problem right now: there aren’t enough beds for people to sleep in.

Ward said they’re using air mattresses, couches and even exercise mats for people to sleep on.

“Were bleeding dry over here. There’s only so much money.” Ward said.

That’s why the shelter is asking the community for support.

“The Odessa community is so good in that, if you put the word out what the need is, then what happens is they respond,” he said. “So what were doing is trying to get the word out on what we need.”

WHO STAYS THERE

People inhabiting the shelter range are both young and old and men and women.

They’re people both unemployed and employed.

“Normally we run about 2 to 5 percent are working — they’re holding down full time jobs,” Ward said. “But right now were holding 40 percent (who) are working. They just cannot find affordable housing.”

Mary Naegele, Assistant Director to the Odessa Housing Authority, said people who are forced to stay at The Salvation Army may have jobs, but they still have to pay for childcare services, medical services and the cost of gas.

“The rent is going up, but their salary isn’t going up,” Naegele said. “So it puts them in a bind — they end up in the Salvation Army, yet they’re still trying to work.”

The increase in population at the shelter is hitting the Salvation Army hard, even cutting back other usual services.

“We do rent assistance, but we can’t afford it now,” Ward said.

While most Odessa nights are still a balmy 80 degrees, the coming winter will most likely leave the shelter in a crunch.

“There are a lot of people camped out around town,” Freeman said. “(In the winter) those people are going to try to come in, and some people are going to turned away.”